Bottle closure



' July 26, 1938 w. R. SHELDON E'f' AL BOTTLE CLOSURE Filed Sept. 3, 1957INVENTORS WILLIAM R. SHELDON AND JAMES F. MEEi/AN, JR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CLOSUREBrooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 3, 1937, Serial No. 162,254

Claims.

This invention relates to bottle closures, and has for one of itsobjects to provide a closure one of whose parts is frangible andrequires breakage before the contents of the bottle can be removed.

Closures of the type to which the invention relates are generallydesignated tamper-proof, and are advantageously used in the packaging ofcommodities, such as liquor, perfume, etc., the nature of which involvesthe partial removal of the container contents from time totime.

In brief, the invention consists of a two part closure comprising amember for the neck of the bottle and a cover for engaging both the neckof the bottle and said member. Both the member and the cover areprovided with teeth which are caused to interlock when the bottle issealed. Because of the arrangement of these teeth, the cover cannot beremoved without mutilating the said member, thus indicating that thebottle has been opened.

The destructibility of one or more parts of the closure is an essentialcharacteristic of the bottle closure of the present invention, and theconstruction of this closure is such as to permit it to be removed byhand. The desired characteristic is imparted to the closure in part bythe material of which the parts of the closure are made, and in part bythe form of the individual elements thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein like parts are labeled with likereference numerals throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 illustrates an exploded View of the two parts of the closure ofthe invention in their proper order of assembling in relation to the topof a bottle;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the cover or cap part of the closure ofthe invention;

Fig. 3 is .a bottom view of the lower part or bottle neck engagingmember of the closure of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the top of a bottle especially constructed tocooperate with the closure of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the neck of a bottlehaving a closure embodying the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, and Fig. 7 an elevation partly in section ofmodifications of the lower part or bottle engaging member of the closureand of the neck of the bottle, respeoe tively; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a further modification of the lower partof the two-part closure.

Referring to the drawing in more detail, particularly Fig. 1, there isshown a container having a bottle neck 3 which is provided with exteriorscrew threads 5 like those commonly used upon containers adapted to besealed by ordinary screw caps, and below these threads on a portion ofthe bottle neck separated from the threads by a ledge 5 with a pluralityof conical shaped symmetrically arranged beads 4, 4 which are adapted tofit into suitable conical shaped recesses l, l in the closure member 2.

The closure proper comprises a cover or cap part I and a bottle neckengaging part 2, both of which are made of a composition material,preferably a ceramic plastic.

Closure member 2 is in the form of a sleeve whose inner diameter islarge enough to pass freely over the threads 5 of the bottle neck 3. Theinterior of member 2 is fitted with conical recesses 1, 1 of suitablewidth to accommodate the beads 4, 4 on the bottle neck. The spacing ofrecesses 1, 1 is arranged to correspond to the spacing of the beads 4,4. The upper part of member 2 is formed of a multiplicity of teeth 9, 9,all running in the same direction; in the case illustrated, from rightto left. These teeth 9, 9 are designed to mesh and interlock, in amanner to be described later, with a ratchet arrangement comprisingsimilarly numbered and spaced teeth ll provided in the cover or cap parti. In order to enable teeth 9, 9 to interlock properly with the ratchetarrangement ll of the cover part I, in the process of sealing thebottle, and without any breakage of the parts or elements thereof, thereare provided a plurality of slots in around the periphery of the member2. These slots extend, as shown, over the width of the teeth 9, 9 andinto the smooth cylindrical outer portion 8, and serve the purpose ofgiving a certain amount of flexibility to the plastic member 2. In thepreferred arrangement of member 2, there are provided at least thirtyteeth 9, 9 and at least eight slots l0.

The cover or cap part I of the closure comprises, in the upper portionof its interior, an ordinary screw threaded surface adapted to engageupon the threads 5 of the bottle neck. The lower portion of the interiorof the cover part I, however, is of wider diameter than the upperportion and has a ratchet arrangement H composed of a plurality of teethdesigned to mesh and interlock with the teeth 9, 9 of the lower member2. It will be noted that the teeth of the ratchet arrangement I I run inan opposite direction to the teeth 9, 9, thus enabling an intermeshbetween them but preventing disengagement without breakage or mutilationof one element of the closure.

In sealing the bottle, the member 2 is first slipped over the neck ofthe bottle in such a way that the beads 4, 4 snugly fit into therecesses l, I. In this position the teeth 9, 9 will surround the smoothportion l2 of the bottle neck. Cover part I is then placed on top of thebottle neck and screwed down on the threads 5 as far as possible. In thelowermost position of the cap I, the ratchet mechanism II will mesh withthe teeth 9, 9 of the member 2, thus providing .a secure seal whichcannot be broken without mutilating the teeth 9, 9.

In the process of manufacturing the closure of the invention, member 2is made frangible in order to be broken or completely destroyed whenpressure is exerted in unscrewing the cover part I in breaking the seal.The cover part I, however,'is of more durable material, or tempereddifferently, so as not to break, because thispart must be used to resealor prevent evaporation or spilling of the bottle contents.

Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate how the beads and recesses of the bottle neck3 and member 2 can be interchanged. In these figures, there are providedconical beads 4', 4 on the interior of member 2, and conical recesses I,l on theexterior surface of the bottle neck 3. The beads and recessesare ,of course correspondingly spaced and the same number.

Where desired, the arrangement of beads and recesses can be madeunsymmetrical and varied in the process of manufacturing bottles andclosure caps, in order to provide different code combinations. Fig. 8shows one such an arrangement having beads unsymmetrically placed aroundthe interior of the lower part of the closure. This feature willdiscourage a dishonest distributor of the merchandise from attempting toremove the contents of a bottle and reseal with unauthorized closuresmade in accordance with the invention.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited tothe precise arrangement of parts shown since various modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Forexample, the beads, recesses, and teeth can have different forms andshapes, and the dimensions of the closure parts can be changed at'will.1

What is claimed is: ,7

l. A two-part bottle closure comprising a cover part and a member forsliding over the neck of a bottle, said neck being provided with aplurality of recesses on its exterior surface, said member beingprovided at its lower part with a'similar plurality of beads arrangedaround the interior thereof for insertion into said recesses, wherebyrotation of said member on'the neck of the bottle when fitted thereoveris prevented, the upper portion of said member being provided with teethlocated on the exterior surface and forming an integral part thereof,said cover part being provided, in the lowerportion of its interior,with a similar number of teeth for meshing with the teeth of saidmember, at least one portion of one of said parts being'frangible.

2.. A two-part bottle closure comprising a cover part and a member forsliding over the neck of a bottle, said member being provided 'at itslower part, in the interior thereof, with a plurality of recessesarranged at intervals around said member for preventing its rotation onthe neck of the bottle when fitted thereover, the upper portion of saidmember being provided with teeth located on the exterior surface andforming an integral part thereof, said cover part being provided, in thelower portion of its interior, with a similar number of teeth formeshing with the teeth of said member, the upper portion of the interiorof said cover being of smaller diameter than its lower portion andthreaded to engage the threads on the neck of said bottle, at least oneportion of one of said parts being frangible.

3. The combination with a bottle having a neck provided with a helicalthread, and beads positioned around and below said thread, of a twopartbottle closure comprising a cover part and a ring-like member forsliding over the neck of said bottle, said member having an interiordiameter larger than the diameter of said neck at the location of saidthread, the interior of said member having recesses corresponding innumber and having the same spacing as said beads, whereby said beads canbe accommodated in said recesses, the exterior of said member beingprovided with teeth forming an integral part of said member, said coverhaving the upper portion of its interior threaded to engage the threadson the neck of' said bottle and the lower portion of its interiorprovided with teeth to intermesh with the teeth on said member when bothare applied to said bottle, said member being made of a frangible moldedplastic for breaking when said cover is removed from said member.

4. The combination with a bottle having a neck provided'with ahelical'thread, and recesses. po-

sitioned around and below said thread, of a twopart bottle closurecomprising a cover part and a ring-like member for sliding over the neckof said bottle, said member having an interior diameter larger than thediameter of said neck at the location of said thread, the interior ofsaid member having beads corresponding in number and having the samespacing as said recesses, whereby said beads can be accommodated in saidrecesses, the exterior of said member being provided with teeth formingan integral part of said member, said cover having the upper portion ofits interior threaded to engage the threads on the neck of said bottleand the lower portion of 'its interior provided with teeth to intermeshwith the teeth on said member when both are applied to said bottle, saidmember, being made of a frangible molded plastic for breaking when saidcover is removed from said member.

5. The combination defined in claim 3, characterized in this that saidbeads and recesses are conical in shape and symmetrically located aroundthe periphery of said bottle neck.

6. The combination defined in claim 4, characterized in this that saidbeads are unsymmetrically positioned around the interior of said member.

7. The combination with a bottle having a neck provided with a helicalthread, and beads positioned around and below said thread, of a two-partbottle closure comprising a cover part giving to said member a certainamount of flexibility, said cover having the upper portion of itsinterior threaded to engage the threads on the neck of said bottle andthe lower portion of its interior provided with teeth to intermesh withthe teeth on said member when both are applied to said bottle, saidmember being made of a frangible plastic for breaking when said cover isremoved from said member.

8. A two-part bottle closure comprising a cover part and a member forsliding over the neck of a bottle, said member being provided at itslower part with means for preventing its rotation on the neck of thebottle when fitted thereover, the upper portion of said member beingprovided with teeth located on the exterior surface thereof, said memberhaving a plurality of vertical slots symmetrically arranged around theperiphery thereof for giving to said member a certain amount offlexibility, said cover part being provided, in the lower portion of itsinterior, with a similar number of teeth for meshing with the teeth ofsaid member, the upper portion of the interior of said cover being ofsmaller diameter than its lower portion and threaded to engage thethreads on the neck of said bottle, at least one portion of one of saidparts being frangible.

9. A two-part bottle closure comprising a cover part and a member forsliding over the neck of a bottle, said member being frangible andprovided at its lower part with means adapted to cooperate withcorrespondingly located portions on the neck of the bottle forpreventing its rota tion on said neck when fitted thereover, the upperportion of said member being provided with at least thirty teeth locatedon the exterior surface thereof, said member having at least eightvertical slots arranged around the periphery thereof for giving to saidmember a certain amount of flexibility, said cover part being provided,in the lower portion of its interior, with a similar number of teeth formeshing with the teeth of said member.

10. A two-part closure comprising a ceramic cover part and a ceramicmember for sliding over the neck of a bottle, said member being providedat its lower part with means for preventing its rotation on the neck ofthe bottle when fitted thereover, the upper portion of said member beingprovided with teeth located on the exterior surface thereof, said memberhaving a plurality of vertical slots arranged around the peripherythereof for giving to said member a certain amount of flexibility, saidcover part being provided in the lower portion of its interior with anumber of teeth for meshing with the teeth of said member, the upperportion of the interior of said cover being of smaller diameter than itslower portion and threaded to engage the threads on the neck of saidbottle, at least one portion of one of said parts being frangible.

WILLIAM R. SHELDON. JAMES F. MEEHAN, JR.

